"From Adversity to HR Excellence: The Inspiring Journey of Omotayo Ayetoba, HR Personality of the Year"

 "From Adversity to HR Excellence: The Inspiring Journey of Omotayo Ayetoba, HR Personality of the Year"

By Oluwatoyin Mathnuel

INSIGHT GLOBAL NEWS 

In this insightful interview with Omotayo Ayetoba, recipient of the prestigious HR Personality of the Year award from Africa Leadership, we delve into his remarkable story and explore the significance of his achievement. From his role at Eko Electricity Distribution Company to his commitment to supporting humanity, Omotayo's journey exemplifies resilience, compassion, and the power of purpose. Discover how his personal experiences, dedication to helping others, and unwavering faith have shaped his path to becoming an outstanding HR professional.

DO INTRODUCE YOURSELF:

My name is Omotayo Ayetoba, I currently work with Eko Electricity Distribution Company. I am here to receive this award as the HR Personality of the year from Africa Leadership.

WHAT DOES HR INVOLVE?

HR is about Humanity, it involves encouraging humanity in doing what it might from an organisational perspective, community perspective, everywhere we are, we help people

DO YOU OWN AN NGO:

No, I don't own an NGO.

HOW COME SUCH AN AWARD HAS BEEN GIVEN TO MOTHERLESS BABY HOME, GIVEN TO HUMANITY:

I do a lot of humanity. I support people as an HR person. It depends on the perspective you are looking at it from. you don't need to necessary float an NGO to support humanity, there are less privileged people everywhere. You don't need to own one. I support them, from church welfare, motherless babies home, needy generally. It is one of the things I enjoy doing and there I found my profession in human resources as best place for me because it's all about Humanity; support people.

In today's world, there is a lot going on mental issues, there is a lot of fundamental issues and even as human resources professional, how do you solve most of them toward ensuring that they become better for themselves and for the communities, nations and organization at large. That's what I specialize in, supporting across board, the widows or maybe because I'm an orphan, I found it so privileged to  support widows at every time of my lifetime every opportunity that I see I find it so honour to support people

my profession is basically supporting people.

BEING AN ORPHAN HOW DID YOU OVERCOME HURDLE OF LIFE IN BECOMING WHAT YOU ARE NOW:

Everything is about God. you know the kind of community we are, where orphans struggle to achieve their dreams, and because there is lot systemic challenge, especially in this part of our nation. Something doesn't work the way it should work, everything is about you putting yourself out there. My own case was different, my mom was there for me until I graduated from school. The year I was to serve was when I lost my mom. In the year 2001, though I lost my dad when I was in secondary school. I have been trained, my background exposed me to independently working hard from the time I got to school. 

From my primary school, and secondary school days; I  have been used to working hard. I pass through those under the tutelage of my parent in a very very strict way, so today when she is no more, those things are what keep me going with God's favour in everything.

I became HR professional not because I was in child, not because I wanted to become an HR person but because those virtues that I carry landed me into this profession that I am today. I tell you the profession really supported the kind of course, i.e. desire I have in supporting people around. That was the way I was brought up, because I saw my mother do a lot for the community, the people around, the needy, infact she prefer solving the problem of others before solving the problem of her children. I learnt all of this and it made me a human resources professional. I see the essence of living to be the reason for solving most problems. Living for others, when you live for others, solve the most problems it gives me joy, and that is why I enjoy what I do.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO LESS PRIVILEGED YOUTH WHO ENGAGE IN IMMORAL ACT 

I use to address some of my mentees, those people that look up to me as their role models, as a mentor. I was still telling some today that challenges are part of life and like one pastor used to say problems are forerunners of miracle. Challenges are everywhere and I can understand from their own point of view because a nation where the system doesn't work, it bothers so many things and that is the truth. It takes the grace of God for some to survive that environment and that is the kind of environment we find ourselves in but that is not enough reason for people to indulge in a lot of immoral acts. No, God deposited something in your creature, all we need to do is to find that purpose. If you find the purpose, like I told you I became HR professional not because I decided that I wanted to become an HR professional, when I started work and the moment they moved me to HR, I found this that this is the purpose because purpose is the innate ability of what God has deposited in you to do, so when you start doing it you find this happiness in getting it done.

For young people out there, it is not about growing up. Yes, a lot of young people want to go up that's why they get themselves into so many immoral things; Yahoo-Yahoo, they want to go up, peer pressure, but it is better to grow up. For me like I told you I actually grew up to where I am today by the grace of God. I did not grow up overnight. I say to the younger ones out there that the pain of today is your joy for tomorrow. If there is no pain from anything in life there cannot be gain. So you have to pass through pain. I tell them to suffer today so that they will suffer no more because for people that go up to all kinds of high and get to the top, the law of gravity is there everything that goes up comes down, but everything that grows up stay there. My advice to them is that they should learn to grow, get themselves ready to do legitimate and productive things, yet the results might not come but consistency is what every young person needs. Being intentional in what you do and before you know God will crown your efforts and you are up.

WHAT AWARD WERE YOU GIVEN

The best HR personality of the year

THANK YOU MR OMOTAYO AYETOBA FOR YOU TIME

You are most welcome.